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August 24. 2012 1:34AM

Club completes 18-mile recreation trail


An 18-mile section of North Country off-road recreational vehicle trails between Stewartstown and Dixville township has opened up a new array of scenic views for riders. (Courtesy)
COLEBROOK — The members of a North Country club for recreational-vehicle enthusiasts have completed an 18-mile trail between Stewartstown and Dixville township, according to the club’s officers.

Using funds that include a state grant of more than $63,000 they received earlier this year, the members of the Metallak All-Terrain Vehicle Club in Colebrook say the trailhead for the new section starts at Coleman State Park and runs to the junction of Philips Brook Road and West Branch Clear Stream Road in Dixville.

From the state park, the new trail “proceeds south on Diamond Pond Road, onto Rusty’s Road, and then up an upgraded snowmobile trail to the summit of Sugar Hill. From this summit, there are significant views of the hills and mountains of Vermont, New Hampshire and Canada. A newly constructed (off-highway recreational vehicle) trail then continues down the backside of Sugar Hill onto the Balsams and proceeds along an existing but upgraded cross-country ski trail to the North Gate of the property line between the Balsams and Bayroot,” club officers said this week in a news release.

From this intersection over an upgraded snowmobile trail with outstanding views, the new section continues and meets a new trail completed recently as part of wind tower construction in the area, before reaching the Dixville trail junction.

By early next month, a north-south off-highway recreational vehicle (OHRV) trail section is expected to be finished that will complete a 48-mile loop out of Coleman State Park “that includes incredible terrain along with outstanding vistas,” club officers wrote.

In addition to the New Hampshire Trails Bureau grant the state announced in June, trail-building funds have come from a Recreational Trails Program grant and from generous support by local businesses, club officers said.

Club members who performed many hours of volunteer work said they were also grateful for the guidance of trails bureau officials, and the permission of landowners, including Lloyd Howe, Northern Pass, Balsams LLC, and Bayroot LLC to use their property for recreational purposes.

“It is the belief of the club and the North Country OHRV Coalition that this trail system will offer a unique riding experience for recreational riders from throughout the eastern United States. The riding season is greater than six months,” and does not rely on “a natural cover to participate, such as snowmobiling. In addition, participants have very limited riding opportunities south of the notches in New Hampshire and in states south of our border. We truly view this” as an “economic stimulus to the Great North Woods,” club officers said in a written statement.

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Bob Hookway may be reached at bhookway@newstote.com.

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